When attempting to tone the legs and butt, there are a few key exercises; when performed correctly, these exercises will tone and tighten those areas faster than any others. A combination of strength, flexibility and cardiovascular training will give an overall tight, toned, lean look.

The Strategy

In order to get the best toning and slimming results, a combination of strength training, cardio conditioning and flexibility training should be utilized. Strength training exercises will tone and tighten the muscles of the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves, contributing to a shapely physique. Cardio conditioning is necessary to burn off any excess fat that may be lying on top of the muscles. In order to see definition in the legs and butt, losing excess weight overall will help uncover those muscles and allow the shape developed by the strengthening exercises to be seen. Finally, for maximum toning, flexibility training is required for two primary reasons. First, a flexible muscle is a stronger muscle. Maintaining flexibility in the joints of the legs and hips will allow fuller range of motion and greater toning during strength exercises. Second, tight muscles tend to look short and bulky. Stretching the muscles worked will give the legs and butt a tight, lean look, rather than a bulky, overdeveloped look.

Strength Training

For maximum toning of the legs and butt, a variety of multi-joint exercises should be performed. Squats, lunges, plie squats and deadlifts will all provide excellent, targeted strength building in the legs and glutes. Squats target every muscle in the lower body, and when performed correctly, are the single most effective exercise for toning the muscles of the legs and butt. Lunges target the front leg primarily, and hit the muscles from a different angle than a squat. Lunges are more focused on the front of the legs, or the quadriceps, and target the butt, or glutes, during the upward motion. Plie squats target the inner and outer thighs. By angling the knees out to the sides at 45-degree angles, the work is moved from the front and back of the legs to the inner and outer thighs. Finally, deadlifts target the hamstrings, or the back of the thighs. When performed together, these four exercises will provide an excellent base of strength training for the lower body.

Cardio Conditioning

While any cardiovascular exercise is excellent for shedding fat, running is by far the most effective when the overall goal is to tone the legs and butt. The repetitive motion of running targets the slow twitch fibers in the muscles, which are not generally used during strength training. For maximum effectiveness in toning the legs and butt, a variety of training styles should be used in order to hit all angles of the muscles as well as the different types of muscle fibers. Running is a double whammy for the legs and butt because it not only burns fat, but also strengthens and tones muscles. If running is not possible, any cardio conditioning will work. Walking, especially up hill or on an incline, biking, stair climbing and other types of aerobics such as kickboxing and aerobic dance classes are all excellent ways to burn calories and fat to reveal the toned, tightened muscles of the legs and butt.

Flexibility Training

The final component to a well-rounded lower body regimen is flexibility training. Heavy strength training will build strength in the lower body muscles; however, it will also shorten the muscles, which may cause joint pain and instability, and decreased range of motion when performing exercises. In order to tone the legs and butt, full range of motion must be used during each exercise. Performing a half squat due to limited range of motion will yield far inferior results than performing a full range squat, for example. Stretches that target the quads, which are the front of the thigh, hamstrings at back of the thigh, hip flexors, inner thighs, gluteals and IT band, the outer thigh, are all critical to maintaining range of motion in the joints of the lower body.

For Best Results

In order to get the most leg and butt toning, all three components must be incorporated into a weekly routine. Strength exercises should be performed on three nonconsecutive days each week, and should be followed by a series of stretches to target the areas trained. Squats, lunges, plie squats and deadlifts should be performed using weights that are heavy enough to fatigue the muscle after eight repetitions and three sets of each exercise should be performed. Stretches should be held for at least 30 seconds, focusing on breathing deeply while stretching in order to oxygenate the muscles and allow them to lengthen and relax after strength training. Cardiovascular exercise should be performed on three to four nonconsecutive days each week, preferably on the opposite days to strength training. An additional rest day may be incorporated if the lower body is feeling particularly sore or tired, and stretches can be performed daily if time allows.

About the Author

Nikki Kearney is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer with over 15 years of experience in the fitness industry. A graduate of Penn State University, she is the author of "Makeover Your Kitchen, Makeover Your Life." Her work focuses primarily on showing clients how easy healthy can be, and how to incorporate healthy habits into all aspects of lifestyle.